In Greek mythology, the snake-woman Echidna gave birth to Cerberus, the Hydra, the Chimera, Ladon, the Sphinx, the Nemean Lion, and the two-headed dog Orthrus. In some versions, the father of all these was the monstrous dragon Typhon, but in others, Orthrus fathered the Chimera, Sphinx, and Nemean Lion.
🎨 Ingri and Edgar Parin d'Aulaire

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In Finnish folklore, Loviatar is a goddess of death and pestilence. She was impregnated by a great wind, and so gave birth to nine diseases (her sons): Consumption, Colic, Gout, Rickets, Ulcer, Scab, Cancer, Plague, and a ninth unnamed one (who is the worst).
🎨 George Stronck

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In American tall tales, the axe-handle hound is said to be a fearsome critter of Minnesota and Wisconsin. It resembles a dog with an axe-like body, and only eats the handles of axes which have been left unattended. An axe-handle hound travels from camp to camp searching for its next meal, and strongly dislikes axe handles made from red oak.
🎨 Margaret Tryon

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In Scottish and Irish folklore, the cù-sìth is a green fairy dog the size of a small cow. It normally hunts silently, but will sometimes bark three times. These barks can be heard for miles; anyone who hears them must reach a safe place by the third bark or die of fright.

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According to folklore, when Merlin prophesized that a baby born on May 1st of that year would destroy King Arthur, Arthur ordered all the British babies born on that day to be placed into a little boat and pushed out to sea. All drowned in a storm except one - the newborn Mordred.

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